Stove accessory



April 8, 1952 R. B. CRONHEIM STOJE ACCESSORY Filed May 4, 1950 FIG.2.

IN V EN TOR.

N y o w R c v B. n D

Patented Apr. 8, 1952 STOVE AooEssonY 7 Richard B. Cronheim, St, Louis, Mo. Application May 4, 1950, Serial N 0. 159,960

3 Claims. (01. 160-135) This invention relatesin general to certain new and" useful improvements in a stove-accessory capableof being used as a stove pad or a spatter shield, as desired.

It is one of the primary objects of the present be optionally used either as a spatter shield or a stove pad and which may be folded up into a compact relatively thin rectangular unit for storage when not in use. I

It is a further object of the present inventio to provide a device of the type stated which can "be readily unfolded and set upright upon its edges to provide a three-walled or U-shaped enclosure to fit around cooking vessels to catch the spat- -'tering grease and food particles which tend to fly outwardly therefrom during certain types of cooking operations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a combination stove pad and spatter" shield which may be economically and efilciently constructed, and is highly attractive in appearance. 1

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a combined stove pad and spatter shield which is rugged, durable, and easy to clean.

In the accompanying drawings Figure -l is a plan view of a stove-accessory constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention;

Figure 1' 2. is a plan view of the hinge-forming elemen'tsgand the stove-accessory prior to forming; Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary transverse sectional views of the stove-accessory, respective- 11y, along lines 3--3 and 4-4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the stove-accessory. in opened-up position for use as a splatter shieldpand Figur 6 is-a transverse sectional view ofthe stove-accessory in folded-up position for use as .a stove pad,

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

A designates a stove-accessory comprising two oblong-rectangular sheets I, 2, formed .ofgaluminum, stainless steel, or any other suitable metal. At their outer corners, the sheets I, 2, are

preferably rounded off and along their inner 5 invention to provide a stove-accessory which can transverse margins the sheets I, 2, are die-cut to provide tabs 3, which are curled to form aligned tubular hinge-eyes 4. Providedfor co-operation with the sheets I, 2, is asimilarly'sh-aped central panel 5 also formed of aluminum, stainless steel,

or similar metal, and provided along its two longitudinal margins with fold-over tabs. 6, the transverse edges 1 of which are cut oil at angles of 45. Along its transverse edges or margins, the central panel 5 is provided with outwardly extending tabs 8 having two spaced rectangular apertures 9 slightly larger in size and for registration with the hingeforming eyes 4*of the panels I, 2, respectively. outwardly of the apertures 9, the tabs 8 are provided with continuous or unperforated sections [0, which are of substantially the same width as the tabs 6 and are similarly leveled oiT'at their transverse margins l l at complementary angles of 45.

The tabs 8 are suitablyformed to provide tubular hinge-forming eye'portions l2 in the sections of metal between, and outwardly beyond, the rectangular aperture 9 and the unperforated outer section II) is folded inwardly over the transverse marginal portion of the central panel 5 to form a crimping flange forpurposes presently more fully appearing.

y It will be noted that the hinge-forming eyes l2 will be axially aligned with and embrace the hinge-forming eyes 4, as may be seen in Figure 1 and are swingably connected by a pintle-forming section of wire rod l 3.

Provided for disposition upon the under face of the central panel E -is a sheet of two-ply corrugated paper I 4 and a covering sheet of asbestos paper i5, both of which are rectangular in shape and of the same marginal size as the central panel 5. With the corrugated sheet Hand the asbestos paper IFS laid in place, the marginal tabs 8 are bent over and crimped downwardly upon the edges to hold these sheets in place, as shown in Figure 4. Similarly, the marginal tab portions H) are crimped downwardly along the transverse edges of the sheets l4 l 5, as shown in Figure 3.

It will be noted in thisconnection that the rectangular edges 1, l I of the adjacent tabs will meet along diagonal lines to form a smoothbut a finer joint and that the tabs 6, l0, will be crimped down tightly and firmly so as to compress the edges of the corrugated paper and the asbestos sheet l5, leaving the main center portion of the hinge-forming eyes 4, and l 2.

It will also be noted that the diameter of the hinge-forming eyes is such that when the two thereof substantially thicker than the diameter side panels I, 2, are folded over the central panel 5 and upon each other, as shown in Figure 6, the outwardly presented face of the panel I will .be slightly beyond or tangent to the outermost curve of the adjacent hinge-forming eyes #2 so as to lie flat and smooth. On the other hand, the outwardly presented face of the asbestos sheet IE will be disposed substantially beyond the adjacent faces of the folded-over tabs 6 and i ll so that when the stove-accessory is folded up to function as a stove pad and set overthe stove burner with the asbestos sheet I5 disposed downwardly, the entire structure will rest upon the asbestos sheet (5, and the metallic areas of the device will be spaced substantially upwardly from the stove burner. It will furtherbe noted that when the device is set up for operative use as a spatter shield, the side panels I, '2 will in effect have inner faces, that is to say, the faces which are presented toward each other in the U- shaped configuration shown in Figure 5, and that these in nerf aces adjointhe front or forwardly presented face, of the central panel 5. By reference, again, to Figure 6 it will be seen that the center-line or axis of the tubular hinge eyes 4 of each of the sheets or side panels I, 2 respectively, is offset inwardly from the inner face thereof so that the outwardly presented or base portions of the hinge eyes 4 will abut against the longitudinal edges of the slots and the longitudinaledges of the panels i, 2 between the hinge eyes-4 will similarly abut against the back portions of the hinge eyes [2 thereby preventing the side panels I, 2 from being accidentally swung rearwardly around and into overlying or folded position upon the asbestos paper I5.

When itis necessary to use the stove-accessory inopened-up position as a spatter shield, the side panels l 2, are folded outwardly at approximately right angles to the central panel 5, and the device A set up in shield-forming relation about a stove burner, substantially as shown in Figure 5.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the stove-accessory may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device adapted to serve alternatively as a spatter shield and stove pad, said device comprising a central panel having av front face, a rear face, opposite side margins, a top margin, a bottornmargin, and fold-over tabs along the said margins, the tabs along the top and bottom margins being of substantially equal width, the tabs along the side margins being substantially wider than the tabs along the top and bottom margin and being provided with a series of aligned elon gated slots, said last named tabs being bent over to provide, axially aligned hinge eyes which extend in spaced relation along each side margin between the slots with the longitudinal edges of each slot extending between the inner portions of the hinge eyes, a heat-insulatiVe covering on the rear face of the central panel, said tabs being folded down marginally upon the covering to hold it in place, a pair of side panels respectively disposed on opposite sides of the central panel along each side margin each of said panels having an inner faceand an outer face so that when the device is set up on edge for use as a spatter shield it will form a substantially U-shaped configuration in which the inner faces of the side panels will be presented inwardly toward each other and will adjoin the front face of the central panel, said side panels each being provided along one of its side margins with tubular hinge eyes positioned in axial alignment between the hinge eyes on one of the side margins of the central panel, the hinge eyes of each side panel being curled inwardly and thence around toward the inner face of the side panel so that its axis is spaced inwardly from said inner face and the outwardly presented surface of such hinge eyes in the region where they adjoin the side panel will impinge against the longitudinal edges of the slots to prevent the side panels from being folded backwardly over and upon the heat-insulative covering of the central panel, and hinge pins extending through the aligned sets of hinge eyes, whereby the side panels are swingably connected to the central panel.

2. ,A device adapted to serve alternatively as a spatter shield and stove pad, said device comprising a central substantially rectangular panel having a front face, a rear face, opposite side margins, a top margin, a bottom margin, and four fold-over tabs along the said margins, the tabs along the top and bottom margins being of substantially equal width, the tabs along the side margins being substantially wider than the tabs along the top and bottom margin and being provided with a series of aligned elongated slots, said last named tabs being bent over to provide axially aligned hinge eyes which extendv in spaced relation along each side margin between the slots with the longitudinal. edges of each slot extending between the inner portions of the hinge eyes. a heat-insulative covering on the rear face of the central panel, said tabs being folded down marginally upon the covering to hold it in place and being mitered at the four. cornersso as to lie in smooth-fitting endwise abutting relation, a pair of side panels respectively disposed on opposite sides of the central panel along each side margin each of said panels having an inner face and an outer face so that when the device is set up on edge for. use asa spatter shield it will form. a substantially U-shaped configuration in which the inner faces of the side panels will be presented inwardly toward each other and will adjoin the front face of the central panel, said side panels each being provided along one of its side margins with tubular hinge eyes positioned in axial alignment between the hinge eyes on one of the side margins of the central panel, the hingeeyes of each side panel being curledinwardly andthence around toward theginner face of the side panel so that its axis is spaced inwardly from said inner face and the outwardly presented surface of such hinge eyes in the region where they adjoin the side panel will impinge against the longitudinal edges of the slots to prevent'the side panels from being folded backwardly over and upon the heatinsulative covering of the central panel, and hinge pins extending through the aligned sets of binge eyes, whereby the side panels are swingably connected to the central panel.

3. A device adapted to serve alternatively as a spatter shield and stove pad comprising a metallic central panel having a front face, a rear face, opposite side margins, a top margin, a bottom margin, and fold-over tabs along the said margins, the tabs along-the top and bottom margins being of substantially equal width; the tabs along the side margins being substantially wider' than the tabs along the top and bottom margin and being provided with a series of aligned elongated slots, said last named tabs being bent over to provide axially aligned hinge eyes which extend in spaced relation along each side margin between the slots with the longitudinal edges of each slot extending between the inner portions of the hinge eyes, a relatively thick pad disposed over the rear face of the central panel and consisting of an outer ply of heat-insulative sheet material and an inner ply of compressible sheet material, said tabs being folded down marginally upon the covering to hold it in place and being pressed tightly down so that the pad margins are compressed to a thickness less than the over-all thickness of the pad so that the pad presents an exposed face spaced outwardly from the outwardly presented faces of the folded-over tabs whereby no metal will touch a supporting surface when the device is resting upon the exposed face of the heat-insulative pad, a pair of side panels respectively disposed on opposite sides of the central panel along each side margin each of said panels having an inner face and an outer face so that when the device is set up on edge for use as 25 a spatter shield it will form a substantially U- shaped configuration inwhich the inner faces of the side panels will be presented inwardly to ward each other and will adjoin the front face of the central panel, said side panels each being side panel will impinge against the longitudinal edges of the slots to prevent the side panels from being folded backwardly over and upon the heatinsulative covering of the central panel, and hinge pins extending through the aligned sets of hinge eyes, whereby the side panels are swingably connected to the central panel.

- RICHARD B. CRONHEIM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 957,642 Barker May 10, 1910 1,192,315 Hughes July 25, 1916 2,325,506 Grace July 27, 1943 2,482,376 Serkland Sept. 20, 1949 Silberman Aug. 7, 1951 

